Loosely Connected Adventures in the Nentir Vale

Goblins stole my clothes

A New Hope

Its been a long journey, we’ve come along way, and have earned quite a reputation but lately I realise that all this time we’ve been fighting other people’s goblins and demons, when I should’ve been fighting my own. I’ve completely neglected the reason I arrived on these shores all those moons ago: Revenge…

I’ve recently fallen in with a cabal of warlocks, and one has offered to teach me the ways of the dark arts, for a price which I would gladly pay ten times over if it got me any closer to my goal. I’ve only mastered a single spell so far, but even to see results so soon looks promising, and I welcome more of Dvorak’s teachings, although its getting harder and harder making excuses to my fellow warriors about why I’m not joining them in the local tavern. All this sneaking around is making me paranoid, but I won’t tell them, at least not yet, as they wouldn’t understand…so full of righteousness and good intentions.

As soon as we come back from slaying the latest dragon that’s terrorising the realm, I will seek out my new teacher, and ask to start learning the ritual that would allow me to see the horrors of the last minute of a lifetime, as it could….

with horns

While sailing down the Nentir River, their sights on Fallcrest, the heroes stop briefly at a small riverside village to stock up on supplies. There, they meet a tiefling, who has been robbed of nearly all of his possessions by a band of thuggish orcs. Eyeing the party, he tells the heroes his story. This tiefling, an holy avenger, was sent the Vale, as word of the troubles spread and reached the temple he was based at.

However, on route to Fallcrest, this nameless hero was set upon by a group of Bloodspear orcs, was robbed of all his valuables and only barely escaped with his life. Seeking retribution, he asks to join the adventurers on their quest…

Day 3

After another night on the boat we decided to help the newly appointed cabin boy, Roger to the temple. During the night we heard the strange noise of hooves on the water, it seemed surreal, but sure enough it was true. We were greeted by our occasional member, Eladril. She’d been spending some time in the Feywold, but heard news of our adventures and came to see if we needed assistance. It was a weird sight to see a horse atop the water.

With our new companion and roger, we set down in the roughly-known place of the temple. Finding ourselves on the road that skirted Lake Nen, that stretched between Nenlast and Falcrest. As we wandered along, we came across a ‘erb and spice merchant. I forget his name, but he tried to rip us off. Is no-one trust worthy in this world? How’s an ‘honest’ rogue to make a living? Aelar managed to barter the man down and bought some of his wares. I have little need to ‘buy’ such things, but some of the group like to collect seemingly useless trinkets, or anything that isn’t nailed to the floor (and even then I’ve seen them try). Perhaps I have more in common with my companions that I initially thought…

We talked with the merchant some more, trying to ascertain if he had heard of the temple in the area, but he could offer us no real clue to its whereabouts, beyond what is written in children’s tales that we already knew. Looking around, we found what seemed to be a recently used trail heading in a southerly direction , that was overgrown but passable. It might have been nothing more than a rarely used hunting trail, but it was our only lead. We knew where the road went in both direction, East to Nenlast and West to Falcrest so into the forest we went.

The forest was quite thick, and getting denser the further we got from the road. After a short walk we came across a wider path skirting a small hill that breeched the treetops. We chose to head to the left, even though there was a tingle of electricity or some other magic in the air. The others thought that this might signify that we were getting close to finding the temple, and thought we should venture to find its source.

The forest got thicker again, the treetops intertwining, blotting out the sun which casted everything under the canopy into a warm, murky gloom. I wondered how old the forest was and if it housed any old or magical entities. I grow wary of all the plant life we face, I am a rogue, not a gardener, and such camouflaged and deceitful prey always proves troublesome for us to ‘prune’.

After what seemed to be hours, we finally saw a clearing ahead, the warm sun lighting the glade in a hazy glow, making it seem like a most welcome sight. But danger was afoot.. in the middle of the seemingly tranquil scene, a man, draped in what seemed to be religious finery, tied to a tree with rope. It wasn’t rope. On closer inspection, the ‘rope’ looked to be living vines, a creeper, slowly tightening and grasping the man. At his feet in the tall grass, bodies of other creatures lay strewn about. Other victims. I wanted to leave the man to his fate, the place was laden with trap, set by the monstrous plants in this place, set up to entice would-be rescuers into the same fate. The others thought his unusual garb might yield clues to the whereabouts of the temple so my objections were outweighed.

The most ‘stealthy’ member of our group, the dragonborn, clumped his way to the man, while the others took up their positions in the wood surround the clearing. I was suprised half the forest didn’t know we were here, but hey-ho. As soon as Tnarg made his move, the forest came alive and the trap was sprung. Vines darted from the undergrowth and assaulted us in worrying and disturbing ways…

After what seemed like hours, the sun wheeling overhead, the clang of metal died down and the fight came to an end. The remaining plant-life retreated once more into the old wood. We saw to the man, who muttered a few words before passing out, weak from his ordeal. His clothes carried strange markings, while his robes where standard worship fare, they could mean that the man was from the legendary temple. We searched the other bodies, one of them was carrying some arrows – 3 in total – intricate markings scored into their shaft. I could feel the enchantment in them as I thumbed the flights. I wondered what they did.

We pressed on through the woods using the trees and other markers to find the entrance to the temple, finding a small stone entrance hidden not far from where we discovered the man. It looked deserted.

We descended the steps inside the entrance, it seemed quiet, too quiet. Ahead of us we found a long corridor with statues along the wall. Suddenly at the end the corridor a bunch of minions stepped out of the shadows. Before they could raise the alarm i notched one of my new arrows and fired it down the hallway, hitting one of them squarely between the eyes! But as he dropped a strange thing happened.. the world lurched dragging me forwards and leaving my stomach behind. I blinked and found myself standing over the fallen foe – surrounded by his companions all looking at each other confused. Before they had time to react, i snapped to my senses, hurling a cloud of metal at them, spinning as i went. The 3 other guards dropped to the floor one by one as the metal hit flesh. I stood at the end of the corridor alone, looking back at my friends.

“Care to join me, or shall i do all the work?” I joked.

The others, obviously amazed with my ‘skill’ came to and searched the corridor for traps. A suspicious mark, in the centre of the hallway made my companions skittish, but the leaped over it with no problems. I looked around while i waited. There were 2 ways. One through an old heavy wooden door – the other down some step hewn into the stone floor. I listened at the door. I could hear a voice, sounded like common, but muffled beyond recognition through the thick door. As the others arrived, Aeler and I looked at the stairs, listening for any clue of what might be hidden there. Suddenly behind our backs, we heard a booming knock on the door – Sehanine! – the dragonborn! I started to run to see the door open and the dragonborn to punch the opener square in the face. We could hear a voice from inside -" quick save me! they’ve invaded the temple – kill the infidels!", it shrieked. I ran into the room to see the man leap behind a line or pews – what a coward. Still i leaped over the wooden chair to where he hid.

The sound of metal and steel clashing around us, i tried to comfort the man, when one of his assailants approached. I jumped up onto the benches to confront it, but as i turned my back the old man suddenly declared us fools with a laugh. Transforming into its true form. An Oni! I leaped out of the way of its attacks and started to pivot into position, made more difficult by the benches and pews. The Oni started to remove our souls one by one, stunning us and sucking our lives into oblivion. We fought hard and bravely, it took it out of us, but eventually after what seemed like hours, the beast and its ‘assailants’ lay dead at our feet.

Leaving the room behind we explored deeper in the temple. We found the true members of the order holed up in the basement, craven and cowardly. One of them was gravely sick from a poison used in the attack, but she talked us through what she needed and while the others looked in the temple for the required items, Aeler and I ran from the temple and explore the immediate woodland for the natural ingredients she needed. When we had returned and she was out of danger we chastised them for the events that had taken place.

We managed to get them to actively promote their order, and to stop hiding themselves in the woods no longer. They were once a brave people, and the world needs people to protect them. I hope they can be again and stick true to their word.

We introduced Roger to them as a new member, after all an incestuous order could do with fresh recruits. I hope it is everything the boy dreamed of. For me, I still dream of riches and piles of gold beyond my wildest dreams, and with that thought in my head and a smile on my face, I am off to my cot.

Day 2

So we finally set sail and left the shores and Lolly’s Dock behind. I managed to get some sleep last night but felt the renewed vigour as soon as we left port and I could feel the wind in my hair. Seems like I got my wish – we were off to Fastormel and that traitor “Donut”. If the others had known of my plans perhaps they would try and stop me, but i would not reveal my hand until the deed was done…

We arrived at the south shore, everyone’s moods dipped when we saw Fastormel on the horizon. Mist shrouded the tower, just like we were told. I wondered what was causing it? It looked un-natural, almost magic. We were dropped off by the Dwarf Woman. She has taken Roger as a cabin boy. He seems eager to help her and seems glad of the work. We asked her not to go too far as we would need her later. As her brother was with us, she agreed.

The city was grim. Undead roamed the streets, aimless, lifeless. It gave me the creeps. We tried the south entrance, and fought our way in. The skeletons we faced, although numerous are destroyed fast. The city streets were like a warren. Although we could see the tower, it proved problematic getting there, and the undead concentration increased as we fought our way in. We got turned around something rotten as they poured out of darkened doorways and out of alleyways, their numbers swelling all the time. Then the worst thing happened, Sehanine! I cursed my luck, one of them scratched me. It wasn’t a problem – I’ve had worse before – or so it seemed…

Suddenly when we seemed surrounded, a hooded figure beckoned us, and we ran for his doorway. He let us inside and shut the door behind us. He introduced himself as some minor lord – his aspirations and opinion of himself seem to outstrip his station. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I could make out a room that used to be quite opulent, but had long since fell into decay. This bit-part ‘lord’ seemed oblivious to this though… I goad our rescuer in my typical facetious fashion to gauge him as a threat. He postured and bolstered quite a bit but seemed harmless. He told us the tale of Fastormel, how it used to be and how it came to be. As he spoke I started to feel strange, the scratch throbbed and I started to feel sick – I wished he would just shut up and get to the point… He told us about the lord of Fastormel, “Ramming Ass”. How he despised him and wanted his sceptre. We agreeed, but little did he know that he would not be seeing it or us ever again!

Using his directions we found our way to the Tower. I threw up several times on the way. The nausea passed, and I felt ok, but its sweet that my companions showed me such concern. Maybe we are more than mere ‘acquaintances’ after all? I’ll try and remember this the next time I think of abandoning them in battle – ha! When we got closer to the tower, we could see that was less of a fog shroud and more of a bubble. We pressed through it and although the barrier was magic, beyond a slight tingle, it did us no harm. We found the entrance easily enough and pressed onwards and upwards…

Fighting our way up the tower, we found MY quarry. Donut. He was beaten, tortured and bruised and in a bad way, but it was no less than the traitor deserved. We questioned him, and he reveals his motives but it seemed he was just a pawn. But a pawn that almost got me killed nonetheless. He beged us to kill him and without hesitation i oblige – slitting his throat. The satisfaction is lessened greatly by a look of disproval from Aeler. I regretted my decision instantly…

We reached the top of the tower and its lord and master, “Ramming Ass”. Though there seemed to be a new lord and master here now, a young red dragon, who spat venom at us with every word. My anger got the better of me because of the nausea which had returned. I had enough and charged straight in. The rest followed and the following fight was gruelling. Surprisingly Ramming Ass posed little threat. The dragon less so. It tried to flee before we slew it. It stayed cocky and arrogant right to the very end – right before I brought it crashing to the ground by a well placed bolt from my crossbow. As it lay dying at our feet, it muttered a curse, promising our deaths.

The last thing it saw was my smug smile… even though i was now utterly sick to my stomach and feeling wretched. I told it that it would meet its end by my hand, but its arrogance got the better of it. Though lessons be learned, I must try and not fall foul of the same fate.

I picked up the sceptre, it looked like it might be worth something, but the others agree that it might be put to better use if we kept it. It mattered not, i never planned on returning it anyway, so we made our way back to the promised landing spot of the boat. But not before I left a little “thank you note” on the door of our ‘saviour’. I think we would have been very foolish to return the sceptre. Even through the sickness I couldn’t help but smile as I pinned the note to the door and rejoined my companions. “The dragonborn” cured me of my ailment and by the evening I felt much better. After a good night’s sleep it will be interesting to see what tomorrow holds. Now that Donut’s blood debt to me has been repaid, I shall be happy to follow my companions counsel about where we should head next.

Even moreso if i can make a little gold on the side! After my ordeal, I can already feel a little of the old Katsa returning! :)

Day 1

This is our 2nd night in this godforsaken town. I’m not used to sleeping on this boat, the constant movement makes me sick to my stomach. I’ve decided to take my mind off it by writing a journal. It will either chart my success in becoming rich, or more than likely my inevitable demise thanks to my current travelling ‘companions’.

What can I say about them. They serve their purpose. The dwarf is ok. She has saved my ass on a few occasions now and takes my mild mocking with good grace. I like her really. We could become friends – her ass is bigger than mine – and that’s a good start! The dragonborn is still as grumpy as ever. Sehanine! He constantly thwarts my attempts to make a little extra gold on the side. I may have to do something about that. The half-elf, Aeler, what can I write? Well, delusions of grandeur aside, he’s fun. Maybe it’s because we share a half-a-kin, who knows? I do know we’ve shared more than a half of a few flagons of wine and it’s made being in this party more bearable. But if I hear one more blasted story about his ‘ship’ I will not be held accountable for my actions!

What more to say? I miss our wizard. The battles have become arduous, and I’m coming out of fights with more scrapes and cuts than ever. We’ve even had to resort to bringing “Samm the Incompetent”..no.. that’s not right…“Samm the Inept”? “Samm the Annoying”? “The fool?”… “the Imbecile”?.. anyway, he’s oafish and brash, and thinks more with his cock than his head. Still, I can hardly blame him. He’s been doing the girl we helped saved when we first arrived in Nenlast, Marillion, though her parents aren’t best pleased about it. I don’t know what it’s like to have parents, so I can’t see what all the fuss is about…

We picked up another young lad, Roger. The dwarf and Aeler dragged him half-dead out of a sinkhole in the basement of the tavern we are moored near. He wants to travel with us to the Temple of the Vigilant Hand of Bahamut. I have my suspicions that all won’t be well when we arrive, trouble always seems to follow us where ever we go. He’s been resting a lot since his ordeal, i may have to talk to him more when he is better able, though he has my respect for surviving an ‘encounter’ with a succubi, not many men do.

Anyway, i might go out on the deck for some fresh air. The moonlight’s reflection on the lake waters calm me and my cursed stomach, and I can feel the goddess Sehanine gazing down on me. We have a lot to do and a lot to decide tomorrow. The others want to help the hapless folk on the hill before setting off. Personally I feel like we’ve helped them more than enough already. Roger wants to go to the temple, but that might make the trail on the Sherrif “donut” go cold. We finally have a lead! Fastormel! I can’t wait to find “donut”. I never trusted him. As the saying goes, a rogue always knows a rogue. After that little stunt he pulled that almost got me killed, I want to repay him in kind. With INTEREST!!

My only hope is that whatever is waiting in that ‘haunted’ place, hasn’t already beaten me to it…

Apprehend the wicked sheriff

The leader of the dragonborn explorers, Frugold Goblinbane, informs the heroes that the village of Nenlast is unsettled with the disappearance of the corrupt sheriff and the people of the village are calling for justice. Frugold recommends the player track down the sheriff to settle the matter. But there are no definite leads to where the sheriff has gone.

Asking around the village, the heroes uncover that Samm and his admirer, Merilian, were witnesses to the escape of the sheriff while canoodling in the hay in the barn. They saw the sheriff ride south with a bag of gems.

Following the road south, the heroes came across a couple of dock workers from Lorley’s Dock running north. They were pursued by a mounted dragonborn. As the players went to assist the dockworkers, a two headed ettin and some dryads appeared from the trees and attacked the heroes. Clearly an ambush, the heroes dispatched the aggressors and saved the dock workers, and gained one warhorse in the process (Primrose).

The dock workers told the heroes they were escaping from Lorley’s dock because it had been taken over by evil-doers. They also told the heroes that the village of Hill’s Edge had been tricked into hiring mercenaries for “protection” but they were actually being criminal and causing fear in Hill’s Edge. The dock workers ask the heroes to remedy the situation at Hill’s Edge.

The heroes headed south to Lorley’s Dock and spoke to some of the workers and traders there. A tiefling repair man called Marlo told them he has seen young men going in the tavern with a lady. Clerk Belling at the accounts office asked the heroes to remove the monsters lurking in the warehouse opposite.

The heroes moved onto the Lake Mist Tavern and dealt with some nasty pirates (Aeler’s direwolf ate one!). under pressure, the pirates revealed they work for a mysterious mistresses who came a couple of weeks ago and set up in the basement of the tavern. They found a pink lockbox and discovered it belonged to a upset girl called Dana Moonblossom who is a fish trader near the tavern. She was delighted to have it returned.

The heroes found a river boat, the Virgin’s Innocence, moored at Lorley’s Dock and met Mahana Battlestone, a dwarf lady, who captains the boat. She arrived at the docks the day before looking for her brother, Weyland, who usually runs the tavern but is now missing. She tells the heroes she will ferry them anywhere they need to go if they locate Weyland for her.

After having a rest on the boat, the party proceeded to the warehouse and eliminated a couple of minotaur henchmen and an orc who were working for the mistress. The heroes then entered the basement of the tavern and found a secret compartment containing a polished set of armour that would fit a dwarf.

In the next room, the party came across a surprise, the mistress organising the havoc in the area was Eliza Highbourne, the acid-tongued woman encountered before in Nenlast. She reveals her true form – a succubus! She also had Weyland Battlestone locked up behind bars. The heroes destroy her and her warlock-knight assistant, and the devils she summoned from the nine hells to assist her.

Weyland is grateful for being resuced and tells the players:“I picked up on bits and pieces that bitch of a she-devil was saying. This is big. This is more than some extortion and protection racket in a few villages in this area. She talked about some grand plan a few times. I heard of references to Hammerfast, Highpeak, Nenlast and other small villages in this part of the Vale. Fastormel was mentioned a lot as well, which is strange as that place has been in ruins for decades. I suggest you get word to Markelhay in Fallcrest. I might even come with you. This area needs help.”

The players also find 2 notes on the table that was protected by arcane wards. They read:

We are grateful to you for accepting our offer of an alliance. As we discussed I’m sure you can see how the plan can be to both our benefit. Our associates will be delighted when fear and confusion have been seeded in the north-east of the Vale. Please do not disappoint us.
Neristyx.

Your failings have come to our attention here at Fastormel. The sheriff you mentioned seems to be an idiotic fool and the tales of that band of adventurers sorely vexes us. We remember what they did to Boraxis. Dispose of them. Send the sheriff to us and we will motivate him. Deliver more gems with him, we need to recruit more followers if our kind’s treaty the B.O is to be a success.
N.

There was a deep hole in the floor in the cellar. Going down it, the players found the naked bodies of many young men and boys who had been tricked and drained by the succubus. Across an underground river, they also found a wounded but living young man. After giving him medical attention and getting back over the subterainian river and up the hole, the boy awakes and identifies himself as Roger, who came to Lorley’s Dock looking for passage to the Temple of the Vigilant Hand of Bahamut. He asks the players to take him there.

Roger knows the Temple of the Vigilant Hand is on the south side of Lake Nen.

The heroes asked Weyland Battlestone if he knows anything of Fastormel, and he told them he thought it was haunted, and there is tower there permanently shrouded in mist.

The Old Arkhosian Outpost

We’ve been in the Feywild longer than we anticipated – we only came here to subdue some ferocious wild beasts that were leaking into our plane, but now that’s over with, I’ve taken a liking to this strange land, with its rich hues, exotic plants and interesting natives, who seem to enjoy wondering around without much in the way of clothes, and seem endlessly fascinated with us ‘mortals’.

Katsa is up to her usual tricks, hitting on absolutely anything with legs and a skirt. Meryell, the Eladrin Lord’s maid seems to have be taking the brunt of it at the moment, but she seems to be quite immune to mortal charms.

We’ve offered our services here, so we can stay here a little longer, and have been sent on escort duty, to make sure Tiandra, Queen of the Summer Fey, safely rendezvouses with the other Fey factions so that they can sort out some issues they’ve been recently having. Not to sound pessimistic, but I’m expecting some trouble, but we’ll see…

Stealing Back Samm's Virtue

I had just about had enough of Samms chatter when our wagon pulled up near the Old Hills (some hills that were named after their age, it would appear), to a village that definitely had an aroma. The village’s sheriff met us at the gates, a nice old man who went by the name Donus Harn. He seemed vaguely interested in our backgrounds, but was expecting our arrival as a matter of urgency, and so we convinced him to discuss the village’s immediate dangers down at the local tavern over some warm and questionably flavoured mead, served up by a fellow half elf called Jona Mystwalker. They explained that girls had been going missing, so we decided to go check out the next girl on the hitlist, Miss Marillia Hardwick. It turns out Samm can be quite a useful addition to the party, at least when he stops talking, as the Hardwick residence was indeed attacked whilst we were there, by stone gargoyles, of all things. We beat them back before they could get to the girl. I’m sure she’ll return the favour at a later date.

We discovered from the local temple that clerics can be just as forgetful as me, as Lucian and Andrea swore that they had seen something useful on a high tower somewhere, but couldn’t quite distil their information into anything more concrete. Ironic for clerics of Ioun, god of knowledge. We did the rounds, talking to most of the village to try and find out where these gargoyles could be coming from, and in the end, got told to head to a tower in the east.
On the way there we bumped into the most foul mouthed and rude merchant trader imaginable. She had some nice gear on her, but I wouldn’t do business with such a wretched cow. Highbourne needs a good kick in the chin, damn gypos.

We found the tower, and purged it of all monsters. Turns out some old hag was trying to get back a soul of something, by stealing the virtue off innocent girls. There were no beautiful heroines to rescue, just one naked samm, who’d got himself captured. Typical.

You're heroes of Fallcrest!

You headed to Gardbury downs towards Gardmore Abbey to try to rescue Lord Markelhay. On the downs, you passed a half elf historian named Sirin Whitecloud, from Talar in the Elsir Vale, who was looking for his sister, Narbela. Hw told you how the downs was the site of the last battle of the forces of Fallcrest against the Bloodspear Orcs, 90 years ago. It was rumoured that the previous Lord Markelhay fled from the battle into the ruins carrying his magic sword, Moonbane.

At the ruins you found a band of orcs defending the entrance, that you swiftly dispatched, although sadly Aeler’s horse was killed the in the attempt. Aeler got his revenge by holding the offending orc over a brazier!

Under the ruins, you found a wounded young iron dragon called Lestrion, who had been captured and assaulted. He was very sceptical you were allies but you finally mananged to convince him. You released him and he showed you a secret door.

You then entered a chamber where you found the old (dead) Lord Markelhay who has risen as a death knight. You saw he carried a beautiful glowing sword – it must be Moonbane. Along with his undead cronies, he fought you, but was no match for your heroic abilities. You took moonbane for your prize.

Finally you came to the lair of the scheming dragon Boraxis. He had Markelhay chained up. The forocious dragon tried to eliminate you with his poison breath weapon and his sharp claws, but couldn’t withstand your barrage of attacks and fell. You slew a full dragon and claimed his huge loot pile!

Lord Warden Markelhay thanks you and on return to Fallcrest you are all awarded with the title “Defender of Fallcrest” and are given a medal. You are then told how Fallcrest is much safer place, and your skills are needed more in Nenlast, and are asked to travel there to help.